google_ad_300_250

google_ad_300_250

google_ad_300_250

Buy 411 a coffee!

Uber taxing government?

Taxi Cartel, Uber Technology, What does it all mean anyway?

Okay, so the big debate these days is between the “taxi cartel” (yellow cabs, traditional livery services) and this new app-based “ride acquisition” company called Uber(as well as others like Lyft).

Hoboken police have recently been “cracking down” on these Uber rides, going as far as pulling them over and ordering their passengers out of the vehicles. Get the general gist of the quagmire in this report from ABC News:

Barking up the wrong tree, people!

We’ve received many emails from residents who love this service, and want to “rally support” for the app-dependent crowd who use Uber. They are clamoring for NJ and other states to change the “law” “governing” these transportation services.

We like Uber as well, and feel that if they have a means to connect drivers and fares – by all means.

However, while everyone is begging for the government to change the rules – and the fact that “enforcement” and “illegal” are the front and center buzzwords in this story – how come no one is asking WHY we even have such regulations in the first place?

Why do we even need things like the TLC (Taxi and Limousine Commission)? Why does the government even need to regulate how we move from place to place? And as you can see – by creating that (what we feel is unnecessary) layer of “governance” they not only upset the customers of said services – they also get to pickpocket “offenders” along the way (up to $1000 per violation in this instance).

What good are they doing?

So what those people who are whining to the government to “please let us have this” should be doing is demanding that this oversight cease and desist – or they’ll find other ways to bypass the choke hold or go as far as to “starve the beast” in other ways.

And by the way – our “mayor” Don Zimmer was in the video above, and took such a lame stance – deflecting to the state – when she herself could have said the regulation was unnecessary. But that would be hypocritical, because the city has their own coffers to fill from such bullshit license fees.

So keep using Uber please! Because it won’t be long before some politico in Trenton figures out a way to siphon money from these new technology companies and the benefit of the lower fares will be a long-forgotten memory. You can bet on it.

The police should be cracking down on the majority of cyclist who are not obeying the traffic laws. What ever happened to our police bike patrol? It would be much easier to handle these summons on a bicycle themselves.

I don’t know what to say about this. I kind of agree that oversight is not adding any value to this situation. I’ve always presumed that taxis were regulated. But now that you bring up why any regulation is necessary it opens my eyes a bit. It appears that the licensing and other red tape is just to make the local governments relevant. Why can’t customers and businesses figure this out on their own is beyond me. Because a company with a reputation of bad service will not last long anyway. In NYC it’s a million dollars for a medallion. How screwed up is that? That eliminates 99% of anyone else who wants to have that line of work.

They are there on time once requested. They can be found once it is raining. You do not have to call three times to a dispatcher to get a taxi 15 minutes after the time they told you. Drivers are never on the phones. Cars are clean and do not sound like they are falling apart. Cashless

Cons: None

Hoboken Taxi Pros: None

Hoboken Taxi Cons: Dirty and poorly maintained cars. Cars have every warning light on and will fail inspection. Drivers are rude, smell, and put the passengers in danger by being on the phone constantly. Never to be found when needed. The drivers get irate once you request no one else to be in the cab.

Zimmer’s weak stance is controlled by the Hoboken Taxi CARTEL. I bet 90% of those drivers are not even citizens of Hoboken.

You forgot how with Uber you get your own car that drives you directly to your destination, while a Hoboken taxi forces you to sit with a bunch of strangers as the driver drives around town dropping them up first even though you got in the car first.

In response to PeterK who said:

Uber Pros:They are there on time once requested. They can be found once it is raining. You do not have to call three times to a dispatcher to get a taxi 15 minutes after the time they told you. Drivers are never on the phones. Cars are clean and do not sound like they are falling apart. CashlessCons: NoneHoboken Taxi Pros: NoneHoboken Taxi Cons: Dirty and poorly maintained cars. Cars have every warning light on and will fail inspection. Drivers are rude, smell, and put the passengers in danger by being on the phone constantly. Never to be found when needed. The drivers get irate once you request no one else to be in the cab.Zimmer’s weak stance is controlled by the Hoboken Taxi CARTEL. I bet 90% of those drivers are not even citizens of Hoboken.

The crackdown on Uber drivers in this city is embarrassing. There are very few UberX cars is available now which has caused me money and to be late, and hard-working drivers are getting harassed. I don’t understand how a city with all these young residents thinks it’s a good idea to shut down one of the most popular popular services currently available.